The Water Alchemist
by Black Snowdrop
Summary: [REWRITTEN and previous version deleted on former account] Jessica Beauharnais has a difficult past. With the study of alchemy and a love of travelling, she's hoping for a brighter future. When she crosses paths with Edward Elric and the Military, Jessie begins to be drawn in as part of a sinister plan that will encompass the whole of Amestris. Can the trio stop the crisis in time?
1. Prologue

Prologue

April 1914

The feeling of cold water being splashed over her face was what woke Jessie up.

As she blinked awake, she felt wave after wave of heat wash over her face and her eyes narrowed, wincing at the brightness of the golden orb hanging above her in the sky. As she turned her head away from looking at the son directly, she saw that the sky was as blue and clear as it had been before the darkness had taken her. The ground beneath her felt different, harder and sturdier. Shifting a little, she began to prop herself up with her elbows.

"Be careful," a soft-spoken voice came from next to her. "You passed out."

Jessie turned her head to the left and found herself staring at a young woman, just a little older than herself with large, brown, kind-looking eyes and a concerned expression. She had long dark hair with pink bangs at the front. In the background Jessie could see she was in some town, a church looming over the houses in the background.

"Where am I?" Jessie murmured, gazing in the other direction and, in front of more houses, saw a large fountain next to her. She turned back to the young woman. "I was in the desert."

"You were," the young woman agreed. "A few of our builders were on their way back from the desert themselves when they found you."

Jessie rubbed her head a little as she woke up a little more. She looked up at Rose. "Who are you?" she asked in a quiet strained voice.

"My name's Rose," she told Jessie. "The merchants brought you to me, I splashed some water on you." Rose paused for a moment while she produced a cup. "You really need to have a drink," she added as she handed it to Jessie. Water splashed lightly inside it. Jessie didn't need telling twice and immediately began to drink it quickly. Rose's hand reached out to lower her arm. "Wait, slow down!" Rose warned her. "Take it slowly, your body's still recovering," she added.

"I'm fine," Jessie offered a small smile to the girl. Nevertheless she did take it slowly until she finished. "Thanks."

"Have some more, the fountain's right there and Lior is really hot today."

"Lior?" Jessie asked as she reached over to fill her cup. "I'm in Lior?" she asked blankly before shaking her head. "Of course I am, I was on my way there." She sighed a little.

"You must have been walking a long way," Rose noted as she watched Jessie drink.

"Yeah... I made the mistake of getting off the train too early," the younger girl admitted with a sheepish smile. "By one stop so it was a bit of a trek."

"You walked all the way from Itretis?" Rose asked, blinking several times before staring at Jessie; her body leaning forwards and then stilling. "But that's at least half a day's trek."

Jessie let out a hoarse laugh. "Yeah," she finished off her next cup and filled it again. "Felt like it too."

Rose blinked. "Half a day in the desert, no wonder you passed out. I'm amazed you made it so far."

"I had a water canteen but it ran out about halfway through. Even being careful with sips, I didn't have enough," Jessie admitted with a smile. "But I'm grateful to you and the merchants for helping me."

"Oh I didn't do anything!"

"Giving me water was enough," Jessie put the cup to one side. "So thank you." Rising to her feet, she stretched her back out as Rose clambered up too.

"So did you come to Lior for anywhere in mind?" Rose tilted her head.

"Not really," Jessie laughed. "I just like travelling."

Rose smiled enthusiastically at Jessie. "Well, if you want, I could show you around Lior. I mean, we may not seem to have a lot to offer but there are many hidden gems."

Jessie smiled back. "That sounds nice. I'm not really a tourist, I prefer to take things as I find them, and," she paused and looked around, "Lior seems like a very tidy town already. I haven't seen such clean streets since Dublith."

Rose' face lit up. "Really? Thanks, that's nice to hear! We make an effort to keep our town beautiful for the Sun God Leto."

"Sun God Leto?"

"You may not have heard of him,"

Rose beckoned Jessie forward as the two of them began to walk. She led the newcomer away from the fountain and further into the heart of the town. Jessie gazed around at the neatly arranged houses, the shops with outside bars and how for many buildings, shops and homes were merged. It seemed like a pretty bustling place which was rather how Jessie liked it.

"Leto is a God that we believe in. He teaches us so many lessons about how to be good to ourselves and others. He has a way of showing us how the impossible is possible."

Jessie paused curiously. "What do you mean? Like forgiving murderers?"

Rose stopped too. "Well, yes I suppose. I'm not sure I could do that myself but then I'm not perfect. No one is. That's the beauty of Leto, he doesn't expect anyone to be."

As they began to walk again, Jessie gazed up into the sky. "Sounds nice."

They walked in silence through several streets before Rose spoke again. "Where do you come from, if you don't mind me asking?"

Jessie lowered her gaze quietly. They were slowly coming up to the church.

"I come from a place that is long since gone."


	2. Through fire and pain

Chapter 1

13th September 1909

Eastwell Canyon was probably the only attraction the nearby village had going for it what with Eastwell being a mainly residential area with few visitors. The few that did come by were usually passing through or stopped off to see the canyon. The gorge was wide and went on for several miles. With its red sandy rocks and many different ledges and pathways down to the bottom of the gorge itself, during summer time, it was quite popular.

It was autumn when the Beauharnais triplets were playing there. The last of the summer-like days was upon them and so the children had snuck down to the canyon for some out-of-bounds adventuring, knowing that their lie about going to the park would soon be uncovered. They would have to make the most of the stolen hours while they could.

At ten-years-old, the girls had a love of sneaking off to do their own thing, away from the prying eyes of adults. On their own, their imaginations would fly, unsuppressed and providing them with the most entertaining games. The canyon offered great scope for these games and by now they knew the safe parts like the backs of their hands. Once they had reached the bottom of the gorge, fearlessness would take over.

Jessie was the sister that was always rushing off, heading headlong into trouble and having enough wits to keep from preventing serious injury to herself. Well, most of the time anyway. She'd had several visits to the hospital because she'd underestimated the trouble she'd gotten herself in. Bold and quick thinking, Jessie was as impulsive as they come.

Theresa was the eldest sister. You'd be forgiven for thinking her the most sensible one, as many people made the mistake of thinking that regarding the elder children. Naturally leaning towards a bossy nature, Theresa often headed the girls in terms of trouble-making and exploration. There was nothing role-model about the oldest daughter at all.

The baby of the three, Katrina was the natural follower. Although lacking in the confidence that her sisters had, Katrina worried less about the things that bothered them. She had simple tastes and she had very little preference for what games they played as long as they played something. She was the most naïve of the triplets though this was largely down to Theresa and Jessie's need to protect her.

On this afternoon the triplets had reached the bottom of the gorge and had opted to play one of their traditional game of travellers. Jessie immediately opted to be the traveller from Amestris, Katrina took on the role of the Xerxes traveller and Theresa, the traveller from Xing. The game began with Theresa and Katrina encountering Jessie and asking about Amestris. Time began to fly as they enjoyed themselves.

It was over two hours later when they noticed the charcoal smoke on the horizon. They stopped what they were doing, all of them staring up at the sky with incredulous looks.

"I-is... is that coming from Eastwell or East City?" Jessie asked, blinking rapidly.

"It's too close to be coming from East City," Theresa noted, alarm in her voice.

The colour had drained from Katrina's face as she watched the smoke billow. "Black smoke means a fire doesn't it?" Her voice pierced the air with its pitch.

"We need to get back home!" Theresa spoke steadily, immediately taking charge. Her hands tightened into fists, her jaw set as she looked upwards at the darkening horizon. She made for the nearest path up to the top of the gorge. Jessie and Katrina followed her at a run. The gorge seemed to loom above them higher and higher the more they climbed, almost as if they would never get out of it. When they finally made their way out, the scene before them brought them to a shuddering halt.

Eastwell was consumed by flames raging all over the village. More and more black smoke was drifting and covering the sky. Already there were fire engines and military vehicles at the scene. The fire looked to be showing no signs of slowing though and continued to tear apart the village.

The triplets paused only a moment and began to run across the long plain leading up to the village. Scarcely any of the gathering on-lookers from East City noticed them as they ran past. It was only as Theresa led her sisters into the village itself that cries could be heard.

"Stop those children!"

"Wait, kids! Come back!"

"It's too dangerous! Get back here!"

By the time footsteps started chasing them, Theresa was leading her siblings down the flaming main street and towards the side road that led to their house. Katrina shot a look behind at some pursuing Military officers. However she kept running with her sisters as they turned the corner and hurried up the road towards one of the flaming houses. Theresa skidded to a stop immediately as Jessie and Katrina caught themselves behind her.

"Mommy! Daddy!" Theresa shrieked. Inside the house two sets of voices screaming could be heard. Theresa glanced back at her sisters. "We have to save them!" she choked through the smoke that was quickly surrounding them. In seconds she'd darted inside the house.

"Theresa!" Katrina screamed before darting in inside her.

"Wait for me-!" Jessie began. However she was too slow as strong arms immediately enveloped her and yanked her back. She began to flail about. "Let go of me! I want to help!" she yelled. "Let go!"

"There's nothing a child can do to help the people in there!" A man's voice spoke to her. She could hear him call out for his colleague to try and get anyone else out of the house. Jessie felt other pairs of arms grab her, holding her back and this just made her kick out harder.

Around her, several Military officers approached the building. Two were just entering the house to pursue Theresa and Katrina when the house began to creak and groan even louder than before. A few muffled cries could be heard before the roof suddenly gave way and crashed to the upper floor which then gave way and collapsed to the ground floor.

The smell of smoke, fire and something else that Jessie couldn't identify, flooded her senses as her whole body froze up as she took in the sight of the wreckage that lay before her and the family that was now long out of her grasp.


End file.
